Electric iron holder



Nov. 6, 1962 J. R. HEDGER ELECTRIC IRON HOLDER Filed Sept. 21. 1960 f7?#6271 for": Joil 72 M M &

United States Patent 3,662,492 ELECTRIC IRON HOLDER John R. Hedger,Decatur, Ill. (4519 E. Tulare, Fresno 2, Calif.) Filed Sent. 21, 1960,Ser. No. 57,470 Claims. (Cl. 248117.1)

This invention relates to a holder for a household appliance, an iron.In particular, the invention relates to a holder capable of verticalmounting which can contain both electrical steam or dry irons.

An electric iron, if not handled properly, can be a very dangerousinstrumentality in the average household. Many unfortunate and uselessfires are caused through negligence in the handling of electric irons. Amajor cause of these accidents results when the iron, after use, if lefton the ironing board to cool, inadvertently scorches the board cover,after which flames appear.

Most of the iron holders in use at the present time merely elevate theiron from the ironing board and thereby prevent the ironing board coverfrom burning, but these holders can still be easily knocked over and offof the ironing board onto the floor. Such is particularly dangerous whenchildren are present. Thus a safe and also a convenient place to allowthe iron to cool is in the iron holder of this invention which ismounted on a wall close to the area where the ironing occurs. Such aposition places the iron in a location where it is removed from theironing surface, inaccessible to small children, but still within handyreach when needed to continue ironing.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a noveland improved electric iron holder which will reliably and securely holdand support an electric iron on a wall or vertical surface for storagepurposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric iron holderwhich can be used by all of the existing types of electric ironscurrently on the market.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved electriciron holder which is economical to construct, fabricate and manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electric iron holderwhich will resiliently urge the iron into the holder and protect theiron against accidental dislodging.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of theelectric iron holder as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical elevational view of the electric iron holdershowing the structure mounted on a wall.

FIGURE 2 is an upright longitudinal sectional view through the wallshowing the electric iron holder in elevation, the view being takensubstantially as indicated along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the holder showing the keepermember and taken substantially as indicated along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the holder and the side walls,taken substantially as indicated along line 4--4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the electric iron holder withthe keeper removed to show the guide means for the keeper.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved electric iron holder has abase plate which, as shown in FIGURE 1, is shaped substantially the sameas the normal sole plate of an iron. The base plate has a plurality ofapertured supporting bosses 11 through some of which screws 12 areinserted to attach the electric iron holder to 3,962,492 Patented Nov.6, 1962 AQQ an upright surface in spaced relation thereto as shown inFIGURES 2 and 4. The base plate also has apertured cooling bosses 13which extend upward from the base plate and support the sole plate of aniron approximately /8 of an inch from the base plate, thus allowing thesole plate to be rapidly cooled. The base plate 10 is preferably formedout of a metal that disperses heat quickly, such as aluminum.

The base plate is equipped at its lower end with side walls 14 whichextend from the bottom of the base plate 10 to just past the first pairof apertured cooling bosses 13. These side walls are opposite each otherand are angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of aniron placed on the holder as specifically shown in FIGURE 4. At thelower end of the base plate is an end wall 15. This end wall issubstantially U-shaped in plan and engages the tail portion of a soleplate of other irons which may be placed in the electric iron holder.The gap in the end wall allows old fashioned irons having a long andnarrow appearance to also fit into the holder. The walls 15 are alsoinclined outwardly and upwardly from the base plate in a manner similarto the orientation of the side walls 14 in order to properly nest aniron sole plate on the base plate of the holder. The front sections 25of end wall 15 are inclined and shaped slightly differently than theback sections 26. This unique construction permits all of the newestirons to fit properly within the electric iron holder of this invention.

The upper portion of the base plate 10- has upright guides 16 which aresubstantially parallel and directed inwardly toward each other butspaced apart to receive a keeper member, shown generally as 17.Specifically, the keeper member has substantially parallel sides 18(FIG. 3) which support an iron receiving plate 17. The receiving plateis generally rectangular in shape as seen in FIGURE 1 except for theV-shaped indention 21 on the lower edge 22 of the plate whichfacilitates easy insertion of the iron under the keeper member andserves to center the iron in the holder. Legs 19 fit beneath guides 16and position the keeper member laterally as well as permit travel of thekeeper longitudinally of the base plate. This arrangement is best seenin FIGURE 3. Springs 20 connect the keeper member to the base plate byattachment of one end of the spring through an aperture 23 in the sides18. The keeper member can be moved backward and forward within theguides which direction is upright when the holder is mounted. Thesprings are the only means which keep the keeper longitudinally withinthe guides. The lower ends of the springs are respectively attached tocars 24 outstanding from the base plate 10. The ears are spacedoutwardly away from the sides of the keeper so that the springs arecanted or sloped toward each other and toward the keeper. When the baseplate is secured to an upright surface, were it not for the springs, thekeeper member would slide out of the guides. The spring coils collapseupon each other forming a supporting post at each side of the keeperbearing its weight.

To place an iron in the electric holder the tip of the iron is firstplaced under the keeper member and moved upwardly, thus working againstthe tension of the springs. When the keeper member has been moved upwardfar enough to allow the back of the iron sole plate to move in front ofthe side walls, the iron is moved toward the holder and allowed to lowerinto nested relation within the side walls. The keeper member by use ofits springs resiliently urges the iron toward the side walls and the endwall. This resilient action greatly reduces the chance of accidentallydislodging the iron from the holder. The slanted walls prevent thebottom of the iron from moving outwardly from the holder without aconscious effort to lift the iron upwardly.

The electric iron holder of this invention can be used by all existingtypes of irons. The side walls, the end wall, and the keeper member areso arranged that any shape iron can quickly be placed into the presentinvention.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls,comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface,said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and anend wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angledinwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed onthe holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped in plan to engagea tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, akeeper member slidably attached to said base plate at the upper endthereof adapted for limited movement lengthwise of said base plate, saidkeeper member having a portion spaced above said base plate allowinginsertion of the nose of an iron between said keeper member and saidbase plate, and means resiliently urging the keeper member toward theside and end walls at the opposite end of the base plate to hold an ironon the upright base plate when the nose of the iron is beneath thekeeper member and the sole plate of the iron is placed in said holder.

2. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls,comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface,said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and anend wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angledinwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed onthe holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped in plan to engagethe tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder,said base plate having longtiudinally extending guide means, a keepermember fitting into said guide means, and spring means connecting saidbase plate and said keeper member for retaining said keeper member insaid guide means and resiliently urging an iron toward said side wallsand 4 said end wall when the nose of the iron is placed beneath saidkeeper member and the sole plate thereof is rested between said sidewalls and end Wall.

3. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls,comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface,said base plate having outwardly extending side walls and an end wall atthe lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angled inwardlytoward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on theholder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped to engage the tailportion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, said baseplate having an upper portion with substantially parallel inwardlydirected spaced apart guides, a keeper member fitting into said guide,and spring means connecting said base and said keeper member forretaining said keeper member in said guides and resiliently urging aniron toward said side walls and said end wall when the nose of the ironis placed beneath said keeper member and the sole plate thereof isrested between said side walls and end wall.

4. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls,comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface,said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and anend wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angledinwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed onthe holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped to engage a tailportion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, a keepermember attached and supported by spring means to said base plate urgingsaid keeper member toward said end wall when said keeper member israised from the lowermost position so that when an iron is placed insaid keeper member the iron is resiliently urged toward said side wallsand said end wall.

5. An electric iron holder as specified in claim 4 wherein the keepermember rests entirely on the spring means when it is in its lowermostposition and not in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,175,982 Parent Mar. 21, 1916 1,759,214 Winters May 20, 1930 2,529,132Burnish Nov. 7, 1950 2,657,000 Tonks Oct. 27, 1953

